According to Sky Sports Spanish football expert Guillem Balague, Monaco’s French powerhouse midfielder Tiemoue Bakayoko has agreed personal terms with Chelsea.
Only a club coming in with a better deal to match Chelsea’s bid for the midfielder, can have any chance of securing Bakayoko’s services. Newspaper reports are circulating around the potential deal.
According to the Daily Mirror, Chelsea believe they are in pole position to land the Monaco midfielder. The 22-year-old – called up to the French national team to replace the injured Paul Pogba – is being chased by a whole posse of European clubs. According to other newspapers such as The Sun and Metro are reporting that he has rejected the advances of Manchester United in favour for a move for the Premier League champions-elect instead.
Bakayoko is believed to favour a move to Chelsea as boss Antonio Conte plans to improve the squad for the new season in August. Conte was rejected by Radja Nainggolan. But the Italian now sees the emergence of Bakayoko as a better option – to invest in future prospects.
Bakayoko has plied his trade at Monaco since 2014 when he moved from Rennes where he had progressed through the youth ranks. The French midfielder has been a renaissance in the brilliant Monaco side who are impressing the whole of Europe with their entertaining performances in both the French Ligue 1 and the Champions League.
He was pivotal to Monaco’s away goals rule victory over Manchester City in the Last-16 of the Champions League scoring the decisive goal as Monaco progressed to last 8 despite a 6-6 aggregate score line.
Monaco’s midfield enforcer has drawn comparisons to Manchester City’s Yaya Toure who also started out Monaco before realising his full potential when he joined the mighty Barcelona. There are reasons to believe that Bakayoko is starting to realise his potential in principality too, with many believing that he will eventually follow in the Ivorian’s footsteps.
After two difficult seasons at the club, the 22-year-old has finally matured and put his combination of power and speed on the ball and vision in midfield to good use. He has contributed strongly to Monaco’s rise to the top of Ligue 1. Along with Kylian Mbappe, Bernardo Silva, Benjamin Mendy, Thomas Lemar, Fabinho and Jemerson, Bakayoko has been part of core of young players truly flourishing not only in Ligue 1 but they are impressing everyone in and around the Champions League. Leonardo Jardim’s side have scored a phenomenal 87 goals in 30 league games – its only logical that their young crop of young stars are being pursued by the top clubs in Europe.
If the stories are believed to be true on the potential deal to take Bakayoko to Chelsea, has Jose Mourinho missed a trick in signing the ideal replacement for Michael Carrick?
Bakayoko is an imposing figure in Midfield – and while he used to be slender in his times as a youth, he has developed and grown into an athlete of great physical prowess. He is quick, reads the game well, and makes a lot of interceptions midfield – if you need an indication, just analyse his performance over the two legs against Manchester City – strong in the tackle, while he can also build play with his passing and good dribbling skills. It is easy to see why comparisons with Yaya Toure abound.
Manchester United are believed to have been following his progress closely, and have drawn up a list of potential replacements for legend Michael Carrick – and Bakayoko certainly fits the bill, but reports are emerging that he has agreed a deal with Chelsea and that could prove to be a loss for the United hierarchy.
His technical ability, power and speed on the ball could have been a huge asset to United. A perfect foil in midfield for Paul Pogba and Ander Herrera. While Carrick has been blessed with his vision and amazing ability to pick a pass, the addition of Bakayoko could add so much more to United’s midfield – their very own Yaya Toure.
Bakayoko could have provided much more security than Michael Carrick who is sure to leave United at the end of the season. With Bakayoko behind the likes of Pogba and Herrera, Mourinho would have the luxury of a tenacious, powerful and skillful unit in midfield.
If Chelsea do get their man, Conte would have got himself a very intelligent midfielder who is sure to dominate the Premier League if his move to Chelsea comes to fruition.
Whatever happens, it is sure to be an exciting summer of transfer moves, rumours and news – especially in Monaco mind you!
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